As several states have approved same sex marriages in the last year and same sex marriage is undeniably making its way to be one of the largest social debates in our country, it seemed only right that I should discuss the issue. As a recently engaged man, I have experienced, first-hand, people's reactions to and rationalizations of same-sex marriage - and I must say I have been a bit surprised. While the overwhelming majority of those I have informed have been happy for my fiance and I, a good portion of that majority also voiced some reservations. Well, the same reservation, I should say. The idea that "marriage is a union between a man and a woman" acted as the recurring snag. Of course, realistically, some reservations were expected but upon processing the phrase I continued to hear, I began to wonder where this definition of "marriage" actually comes from.
In my curiosity about this definition's origins, I decided to look to the United States Constitution. It is so often said that the U.S.A. needs to get back to its "family values" and that marriage is a fundamental institution upon which this country has been built, so of course there has to be some documentation about it in the document upon which this country was built. Funny thing, but there is actually no mention of marriage in the U.S. Constitution whatsoever. None. Which begs the question, how can something be unconstitutional if it's not in the Constitution? There is mention of all men being created equal, but, I digress. I then decided to continue my search in the Declaration of Independence. Perhaps Great Britain was secretly full of fairies and there would be mention of such vile behavior in the list of grievances. Yet again, I struck out.
Well if it wasn't in any of our historical documents, where else might there be a largely followed text with language against homosexuality? Oo Oo, I got it! The Bible! So I decided to check there and I hit the jackpot. There is indeed mention of homosexuality as a "sin" not just once but several times! Well, I thought, if the Bible says that a man lying with a man is detestable, I guess I should stop doing it but I thought I'd continue reading a bit more just for good measure. While flipping through Leviticus, where the Bible first mentions homosexuality as "detestable", I stumbled across several other admonitions in addition to the ones against homosexuality.
For starters, if you have a skin disease or infection that causes white spots or lightened pigment, you are to be put in isolation for seven days. If you have any clothing or material made of linen, wool or leather and it is, or may be, contaminated with mildew, it should also be taken to a priest for a seven day isolation. Men should also not have sex with a woman while she's menstruating because she's unclean and then the man would also become unclean, and then they both have to be "cut off from their people" which, I guess, means put in isolation? If you farm, you should not pick up the fallen fruits or vegetables but rather leave them for the poor. Also, you are not to plant your field with two kinds of seed, I think a lot of farmers may be in violation of the law of God here. It is also forbidden to wear clothing woven of two kinds of material, eat any meat with blood still in it (goodbye rare meat), cut your hair at the sides of your head, clip off the edges of your beard or get tattoos. Crap, that kinda sounds like a lot of stuff we all do, yeah? Oh and I did I mention that if you do any of these things, knowingly or unknowingly, you will be put to death by beheading, burning or stoning unless you sacrifice a ram or goat in order to be forgiven? I don't think PETA would be too happy about that.
Isn't this book just full of fun facts?
So here's my question, since our historical documents say nothing about marriage and we still justify being able to vote on it, should we perhaps vote on more things not found in our Constitution? Perhaps we should vote on which one crop farmers are allowed to grow. Maybe we can vote on whether or not people can get tattoos or how beards are allowed to be shaven. Perhaps we should vote on whether or not people are allowed to wear clothing made of two or more fabrics, or if women should be able to have sexual relations while menstruating - they are, after all, unclean during that period. According to the Bible, where people get the idea that my fiance and I shouldn't be married, we should be put to death for our behavior and the rest of you should be wearing 100% one fabric clothing, not getting tattoos and putting people with skin diseases in isolation. Don't worry though, these wouldn't have to be federal laws, we could just let the states decide.
But alas, we live in a democracy, not a theocracy. A place where there is a separation of church and state and we vote based upon legal documents, not a book written by "Anonymous". (We don't even pick up the phone for anonymous callers.) But wait, if we vote based upon a book that dictates our religious beliefs, that makes us more of a theocracy, and if that's the case, we should be putting far more of the aforementioned regulations on the table for a vote. If you can wear a cotton blend, what the hell gives you the right to tell me I can't marry my fiance? Pick one U.S., either we are a theocracy with seven day isolations or a democracy that upholds that all men (and women) deserve the same "unalienable rights".
If you are against gay marriage, shut up and don't get one but don't tell me I can't marry who I want based upon a book that tells you that you can't even wear a polyblend.
